


Magnetism

by klaviergavout



Category: Starlight Express - Phillips/Stilgoe/Webber
Genre: M/M, inspired by the new 2018 show, it's 2 am i just love these trains ok, this is so self indulgent please excuse me but this pairing gives me life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-06-29 21:57:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15738126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/klaviergavout/pseuds/klaviergavout
Summary: Electra went one step too far. CB goes to confront him- but is he looking for an apology, or something else?





	Magnetism

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a few videos I've seen of the new megamix, where Electra skates around CB and, well, feels him up a bit. I can't imagine the caboose we know and love would be too happy. At first, that is.

CB had never been so insulted in all his days of service. Generally, the rolling stock of the Apollo Victoria were fine with the rules of his contracts. They would seek him out, make a request, pay their usual fee, and leave him alone knowing success was guaranteed- for at least one more race, after which they paid him again. It was an easily manageable cycle, one that didn't require friendship or taking sides, one that kept him one step ahead of everyone else in the train yard. Electra, however, had breached the rules of his contract- even worse still, he had seemingly breached all rules of dignity too.

CB pressed the buzzer. He pressed it again. He pressed it a third time. He pressed it a fourth time, and the door swung open, and all of a sudden he felt the cold barrel of a pistol flush against his forehead.

"Oh, it's you." Killerwatt lowered his gun. "What do you want, caboose?"

"I want to speak to Electra."

"Your contract is over."

"And? I need to ask him something."

"You can ask me. I have access to over 100 billion web databases. You do not need to waste his time."

"I don't think even you can answer this one, volts."

"Try me." Killerwatt adjusted his sunglasses as he spoke, black nails gleaming against pale silver skin. It was clear from his tone that he was unwilling to take any more backchat from someone of such low standing- compared to Electra, at least. And he especially didn't like being called _volts._

CB rolled his eyes, completely aware of this attitude. He'd dealt with components before and every interaction felt like they were programmed to drain every ounce of sanity out of him. "Fine. Google this then. Why does your master find it acceptable to feel someone up in the middle of the yard, in the middle of the daytime, when everyone can clearly see what he's doing, because he's so _outrageously_ popular that no one in this Starlight-forsaken yard can leave him alone for five whole seconds?"

Killerwatt opened his mouth, then shut it again, unable to respond. After several more seconds of uncomfortable silence he turned smoothly on his heels, retreated back into the shed and slammed the door behind him. CB smiled triumphantly.

"What's up, KW? Cat got your tongue?" CB shouted, hoping the security truck could still hear him. Components were as prone to embarrassment as any other carriage, they just needed someone to tease it out of them- and as always, the red caboose was happy to oblige. All he had to do was humiliate their master enough, and they'd malfunction quicker than he could say 'told you so'.  
  
As it turned out, it seemed the same principle worked on Electra himself. No sooner than Killerwatt had left, the door to the shed swung open and hit the door frame with a bang, revealing a slightly frazzled electric engine.

"You didn't have to tell Killerwatt, you know. He's taking this all quite hard."

CB snarled, less than interested in whether Killerwatt was okay or not. "You didn't have to touch me either, but whatever, who cares, I'm the one getting paid. I guess you can do whatever you want to me now. Just like all your other components."

"That's not true."

"Oh yeah? Then why would you do that? Why bother messing with my feelings when you know that I--?"

"Your _feelings?_ _"_

CB looked up at him, eyes wide and mouth open. Electra was smiling, no, _beaming_ down at him. Oh no. He wasn't meant to say that. He wasn't meant to say anything. Damn it, he wasn't meant to tell him, he didn't want him to know--

"What I did was too upfront. I shouldn't have teased you like that. I'm sorry."

His grin had disappeared, replaced by a guilty frown. It appeared that, for once, Electra was being sincere- and for a moment CB almost believed he'd gotten away with it.

"But then again--" and something new gleamed in Electra's eyes now, something raw and terrible and exciting-- "your reaction was too good to pass up."

No, he hadn't gotten away with it, and something new festered inside of him too, something warm and strange and-- oh no, he was  _not_ letting his own client make him feel like this. Components weren't the only ones broken down by embarrassment. 

Now that he thought about it, maybe he wasn't angry that Electra did what he did. Just embarrassed. Just confused. Just skeptical that someone so powerful, so incredibly magnetic and addictive, so different and new and _important_ could ever take an interest in a busted caboose. Just... he didn't know what he felt, but it wasn't anger.

At last CB sighed. "If you were trying to apologise, you failed." He tipped the rim of his hat down just a touch, tried in vain to hide his eyes, his cheeks, his own emotional malfunction. Electra, observant as he was, smirked and lifted it back up. Damn electrics.

"Let's just say I want to make things up to you. How would I go about doing that?"

"Money?" It was the answer he always gave, to everything. He wasn't quite sure what else he wanted.

"I thought I already made it clear that I'm not paying you for a race that you lost me." His smile wavered, threatening to turn sour. "Maybe I shouldn't be the one apologising here. But I'm more than willing to forget your little mistake."

CB liked the sound of that. "What's the catch?"

Electra laughed at that, a bitter, electronic laugh that made CB tremble- with fear, with _want_ , he couldn't tell. "You really don't get it? I thought you were smarter than this! Or is it just me?"

With that, Electra grabbed him by the lapels and pulled him closer, so close that their faces were inches away, so close that CB could feel Electra's breath hot on his own.

"Maybe it's just me."

Something overcame CB in that moment, something huge and terrifying and wonderful and all at once he closed the gap between them, kissing Electra with every bit of strength he could muster-- and the electric engine, much more experienced, just kissed back with more force. So much for not wanting him to know how he felt. Sparks danced across their tongues, crackling lightly against the spots where they collided. It stung, but CB didn't care. It felt much better than it hurt.  
  
He felt Electra's hand on his waist again, and did nothing. He knew now he had only been angry at himself.

It came as a surprise, then, when at last Electra broke the kiss for air, his deep red lipstick smudged and wet. CB wiped his own mouth with shaky hands. 

"Slow down, caboose."

"Sorry. I--"

"Don't be. I thought we agreed who was doing the apologising here?"

CB smiled a wide smile. His heart felt like it was about to burst out of his chest plate when Electra reached down to kiss him again.


End file.
